After Nolan got transported inside the tower, the projection he and Gustaff watched also disappeared.
Left with nothing else to do and a little bit disappointed that he would not be able to watch how Nolan planned to 'judge' Kyran's progress, Gustaff returned to his stall. By the time he arrived at the market side, he was surprised to see several returnees wandering around. He returned to his own stall and instantly asked his shopkeeper why there was a sudden surge of returnees.
Knowing about Gustaff's accursed ability, the shopkeeper, an older man with long white hair tied behind his back and wearing a brown overall, answered immediately. Apparently, there were disputes in hunting and territorial grounds in several locations within Ylfaen. After asking around, it seemed the cause of this was the new protocol made by the Royal Family.
A number of rogue mages began to avoid cities and towns that had magic detectors, even though they had not been modified yet. Part of their reason was the Royal Family's treacherous nature. Most of them were convinced that every magic detector in the empire had already been modified, and they were only telling the public there were only a few not to cause panic.
Now that these rogue mages decisively avoided the cities and towns, several of them banded together to find locations to stay as well as monopolize hunting grounds.
Aside from this, the activities of most bandit groups had also increased.
Every rogue mage and even mages of smaller factions were in a state of unrest.
For this reason, most of the rogue mages who previously entered the tower decided to return and decided to hunt or do business here.
The following day, more and more returnees had arrived.
From what Gustaff had gathered, the situation in the empire had gotten worse.
It was especially true with the small factions that got raided by bandits.
While everyone was discussing how the bandits formed their own alliance to control most hunting grounds and what they could do to prevent it, suddenly, the whole island trembled.
Water from the sea churned and slammed fiercely around the island's shore filled with big stones and boulders.
Every merchant packed their stalls and took their vehicles onshore to avoid getting dragged by the surging waves. Some of them watched the waves with apprehension, while the others could not help but turn toward the Tower of Tribulations.
The sudden incident left all of them reeling. Some worried that the Tower might not like the idea of several returnees taking advantage of the tower's surrounding resources.
All those who looked at the tower found the lightning circling its facade, turned fiercer.
Before they could tell the others about it, the island's tremor intensified.
The surge of waves at the shore doubled as rumbling sounds filled the air.
"W-What's happening?"
"Is the Tower angry?"
"Did someone provoke a water demon lord?"
"I-Is it just me, or does it feel like the island's elevation has increased?"
One after another, the returnees exclaimed. As soon as they heard someone point out the island's elevation, they were shocked to realize that, indeed, it had increased. And it was constantly rising as the tremor intensified.
"T-There! Islands! New islands have surfaced!"
It was uncertain who shouted it, but as soon as they heard it, they looked around and found a new stoned path connecting the tower's island to several islands in the distance.
The stoned path was not wide. It was only wide enough for one caravan to pass through. And along the edges, the trail was uneven and unstable that everyone knew if one slipped, that person would immediately be dragged into the waters.
Apart from this, countless shadows could be seen lurking around the stoned path's edges. These shadows were water demons, and the sizes varied from medium to large, causing most of them to shiver in fright.
A lush forest could be seen on every island, and further ahead, a small tower was also visible.
A quarter of an hour later, the tremor finally stopped, and they found that the stoned path's width had increased a little, and the edges were stable compared to earlier.
"The number of people outside the Tower of Tribulation has met a certain threshold; thus, the Tower has decided to grant everyone access to the other islands."
Overlapping voices suddenly spoke, reverberating in the air.
"Each island is filled with resources. One may also find treasures and even receive an inheritance. However, please remember that there are no free things in this world. It is to your own discretion to tread through the path to the islands. The Tower will not answer any lives lost in the process. Tread through wisely."
As soon as all of them heard the voices speak, their eyes glowed with fierce determination. However, none of them showed any form of greed. After all, they were all people who found their way into the tower. None of them would bear any ill-intentions. They only wished to become stronger. As for the resources, treasures, and possible inheritance they might find in those islands, it was something they would need to get stronger.
Every merchant had their eyes glowed fiercely as well. Though they had profit in mind, they were the rare merchant types who did not plan to cheat others. Thus, they also found their way into the tower.
While everyone was in a frenzy about what they could gain in those islands, Gustaff, on the other hand, could not help but frown. He turned toward the tower and muttered to himself, "Is it really because there are more of us here that the Tower decided to show these islands? How come I felt there is another reason?"
Unfortunately, even when Gustaff's ability was triggered because of his questions, it was a rare instance that he could not direct it to anyone, thus rendering it useless.
Meanwhile, inside the tower.
A person wearing a white hooded robe with intricate gold designs, and was holding a crystal long staff, stood overlooking the whole island from the top floor.
The top floor was a small white room with glass walls. Outside, the bolts of lightning circling the tower's facade could be seen but not heard. However, it did not hinder the person in the white robe from looking outside.
At the center of the room, there were two long white couches facing each other, with a white marbled table in the middle.
Seated on the right couch was Nolan. Whose dark cloak and gruffed appearance were a stark contrast to the whole place.
"You're pretty generous," Nolan commented.
Under the hooded white robe, a smile tugged at the corner of the person's face. It was hard to determine whether the person under the robe was a young man or a woman.
"It is the will of the Tower."
When the white-robed person spoke, overlapping voices could be heard.
Nolan snorted, "Will my ass. Is it also the Tower's will when you meddle with the kid's training?"
The white-robed person chuckled, "I was confident I had concealed that fact. What gave it away?"
"Are you f*cking with me? It was too obvious I almost want to come directly here and f*cking kick your ass," Nolan replied while looking at the white-robed person's back.
The white-robed person chuckled once more, "Are you that worried he will not pass his training?"
"Worried my ass. I want to give that kid proper training, so his weakness gets fixed. But no. You f*cking have to interfere. And what was with the platform's rules? Why did you also send him directly to the middle? Not to mention, why is he the only challenger?"
With a sigh, the white-robed person shook its head and replied, "It really is the Tower's will. As of now, there are too few newcomers. Even from other planes. The Tower did not want the other newcomers to meet him in fear of unnecessary casualties. Also, if we had used the platform's original rule, he would end up killing all our platform masters."
"Who f*cking cares?" Nolan snorted. "They are only essences."
"Those essences still possess part of the original's soul," the white-robed person replied as it turned to face Nolan. "Once the essence dissipates, you know where it goes to and what may happen."
Nolan's eyes narrowed at once. He understood what the white-robed person wanted to say. Looking out the window where he could barely see the new islands that had appeared, he more or less guessed the Tower's intentions.
"The Tower's raising its own force from all these people," he said but was not directing it to the white-robed person.
The white-robed person shook its head and replied, "No. The Tower only wanted to give all those it had blessed a chance to survive once the real tribulation happens."
"'Real tribulation,' huh," Nolan repeated. His brows furrowed as he thought of something, and he stood up at once.
"Are you planning to go back?" The white-robed person asked.
"Just me. When the kid wakes up, let him go to that place. Since you've already interfered, take responsibility."
"That is the Tower's intention. Everything that he had gone through is only in preparation for him to enter that place."
"He will not be happy when he finds you gone," the white-robed person suddenly said.
Nolan only snorted in response as the black particles covered his whole body. Then, in a blink of an eye, he vanished.
With a sigh, the white-robed person turned its attention outside the tower. As the white-robed person moved, its robe shifted, and the hand holding the crystal long staff was revealed.
On the white-robed person's middle finger could be seen a jade ring.
==================
Somewhere north of the Ylfaen empire, a silhouette of a person wearing an oversized white cloak could be seen walking up a snow-filled mountain.
It was noticeable how the person struggled with every step it took. Finally, walking for nearly half an hour, the person stopped and looked up at the snow-filled mountain as if there was something up there that the person was seeing.
A gust of cold wind blew past the person, which ruffled the person's cloak, pushing the part hiding its head backward.
Underneath the cloak was none other than Silas.
Silas resumed his trek up the mountain as soon as the wind lifted. His face contorted as if he was in pain as he struggled with every step. However, though he looked as if he was about to fall any moment, determination could be seen in his eyes.
'I have to get there as soon as possible. Kyran entrusted me to mediate with them. I have to accomplish it no matter what,' he thought through gritted teeth.
Another gust of wind blew; however, it did not merely sweep through Silas this time.
It circled him and eventually turned into a small whirlwind of snow.
"Ergh!" Silas braced himself and covered his head with his arms as the snow whirlwind turned fierce.
Suddenly.
"No humans are allowed in this place. Leave!"
A feminine voice had spoken. However, though the voice was gentle, the power contained in it made the whole surrounding shake, and the ground rumbled. Even the snow atop the mountain threatened to fall.
Mustering all the strength he could muster, Silas looked up.
Though his vision was impaired due to the snow whirlwind, he squinted and looked at the figure hovering outside the whirlwind.
"I am Silas! From the Svell Family, please, most gracious Snow Spirit, grant me an audience with the Snow Mountain King!"
"LEAVE!"
The Snow Spirit said again as the snow whirlwind stopped circling and instantly bore down on Silas.
"Ergh!" Silas fell on his knees and was almost got buried alive. Still, he did not yield. Instead he circulated his own ice magic, a light blue magic array appeared beneath his feet. Soon the snow that had almost covered his body lifted albeit a little.
"Please!" Silas insisted. Remembering what Lady Rin had told him about the Spirits, he gritted his teeth and gambled on that and he said, "I-I have come because the new Void Master needed your assistance!"
As soon as he finished his words, the snow whirlwind seemed to have been frozen into place.
Even the figure hovering outside the whirlwind appeared to have stopped in midair.
Silas did not dare look up again. He waited patiently, his heart thundering inside his chest.
Finally, after what seemed to be a long pause, a deep powerful male voice that shook the whole mountain had spoken.
"Let him come."
The hovering figure turned toward the top of the mountain and bowed her head slightly.
"Yes, my king."
The hovering figure looked at Silas, she waved her hand and the snow whirlwind vanished.
"The king had allowed your presence into the mountain."
Silas finally looked up and looked at the hovering figure, which he could now see clearly.
A woman in a snowy white flowing dress that looked as if it was made of snow hovered in the air. Her long white hair flowed with the wind, and her eyes were also white as snow.
"However, be warned, human. If you are lying about the new Void Master, I will have your head."
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